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Handmade Kevork Riq

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A Lebanese handmade Kevork Riq "Oriental tambourine"
March 20, 2016 at 03:21PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1pCqOYw

Happy Mother's Day From Egypt

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Happy Mother's Day from Egypt to all the fantastic mothers all over the world.

Today, Egypt celebrates its Mother's Day. 

Here is Egypt's most ancient and famous Goddess mothers , Isis "the original good Isis" nursing her son Horus "usually symbolizes to the King or his crown prince" at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Ancient Egypt's Isis nursing Horus

And after 760 days , Mahmoud Mohamed is released on bail "Updated"

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And after 760 days of detention since the 4th anniversary of January Revolution , Mahmoud Mohamed aka the t-shirt detainee has been released on bail.
Yes , the cheerful news was confirmed by his brother Tarek Mohamed on twitter.
Updated : The Egyptian prosecution appealed against the court's decision to release Mahmoud on bail early Wednesday according to his brother and lawyer. 

It turned out that Mahmoud Mohamed was released on bail due to presidential intervention as it seems.
Earlier Tuesday, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with 25 thinkers and intellectuals as a start of some national dialogue "do not ask me what is that" and Pro-Jan25 award winning novelist Ibrahim Abdel Meguid raised the detained high school student's case.


Mahmoud Mohamed is released. I went to the meeting to speak about him and I spoke angrily about a 7000-years old state that detains that young man and the president accepted my request.
I told him {The president} , what if {something}Mahmoud Mohamed and {something} torture. Mr. President, I wrote to you an op-ed about Mahmoud before and I have come here to demand the release of Mahmoud Mohamed 
Mahmoud Mohamed was already tortured in a police station after his release
Hours later , the student who was arrested during the 4th anniversary of January revolution for
wearing a t-shirt against torture according to his brother was ordered to be released on bail "LE 1000".
Mahmoud in court 
Mahmoud Mohamed was in detention without a trial on charges of incitement of violence and illegal protesting for two years.
It is worth to mention that after two years of temporary detention pending investigations, Mohamed should have been released according to the Egyptian criminal law and constitution but for some reason he was not released.
I think this incident shows the problem with the Egyptian justice system.
Two years of detention without a trial and then the heavenly presidential intervention comes in to end that illegal detention.
Anyhow I am not and won't complain because in the end Mahmoud Mohamed will return to his home and to his family back inshallah within hours.
Thanks to Ibrahim Abdel Meguid
All admiration to Mahmoud's brother Tarek aka Tito and his lawyer Mokhtar Mounir.
P.S : I do not blog often nowadays because I have Wi-Fi connection problems right now at home. I am using 3G hotspot connections to blog important news like this.

Earlier Wednesday I found that #pigeon standing like that outside the window #Cairo #Egypt [Flickr]

When Giulio Regeni's Passport was found !!

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Earlier Thursday , several news websites in Egypt including Tahrir Newspaper and ONA News agency published very graphic photos of suspects killed by Egyptian police in some police raid in
The bus of the suspects "Tahrir website"
New Cairo. According to security sources that spoke to those newspapers , those 5 suspects were members of a gang that used to kidnap and rob foreigners recently.

The sources added that those dead suspects were involved allegedly in the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni !!

The security sources released very graphic photos of those suspects after being killed by Police special forces after they "the suspects" opened their fire first. 'as usual'.
You can check the Tahrir report. "Graphic content".

After a couple of hours, Egypt's Ministry of interior "MOI" issued an official short statement saying that security forces busted a criminal gang that impersonated police office officers to kidnap foreigners with the intent to rob them.

The suspects were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces.
The ministry did not release the photos of that the suspects in its first statement. It did not mention any names nor it mentioned that those suspects were involved in the Italian student's murder.

صرح مسئول مركز الإعلام الأمنى أنه صباح اليوم الخميس الموافق 24 الجارى تمكنت الأجهزة الأمنية بمديرية أمن القاهرة من إستهد...
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية لوزارة الداخلية‎ on Thursday, March 24, 2016

Right after that statement , a security source told Ahram Arabic news website that the security forces had not found yet a connection between Giulio Regeni's murder and that gang.
He added that the gang was being investigated.

Interestingly, the New Cairo Prosecution told Shorouk Newspaper that the gang had not relation with Regeni's murder but one of their victims was an Italian.

Then in the evening, the ministry of interior had a big announcement to make : That gang had the belongings of late Giulio Regeni including his Italian Passport , his AUC ID and Cambridge University ID as well his credit cards.
Regeni's passport and IDs as well a piece of Hashish
"Official MOI Facebook" 
Those belongings were found in the apartment of one of the suspect' sister.

صرح مسئول المركز الإعلامى الأمنى بوزارة الداخلية أنه فى ضوء تمكن الأجهزة الأمنية بمديرية أمن القاهرة صباح اليوم 24 الجار...
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية لوزارة الداخلية‎ on Thursday, March 24, 2016

The MOI is saying in its statement that they found Regeni's IDs and passport in a red handbag with Italy's flag on it because you know he was Italian
The police found the following besides Regeni's Italian passport , credit card and university IDs  :
LE 5,000, a 15 gm of a dark substance looks like hashish, a woman black watch , 3 sunglasses , 2 mobile phones and woman's purse with big glittery "Love" on it !!
The red handbag "Twitter"

The MOI listed the other thefts of the gang along some of its victims and interestingly all those robberies took place in Nasr City and New Cairo areas.

The statement also revealed the security forces killed 4 members of the gang in New Cairo in an exchange of fire after their attempt to escape in a microbus.

A fifth John Doe body was found in the microbus as well !!

Despite the MOI did not say that the gang was responsible directly for Regeni's murder yet it says directly it is involved or connected somehow to the Italian political researcher's disappearance.

As all the members of that alleged gang were killed and we won't their version of the story as suspects according to the law.
This new development in Regeni's case comes a week after the false testimony of some citizen.
Now , I have  a couple of questions about the MOI's statements.

Regeni's AUC ID "MOI" 
How did a gang based in Nasr City and New Cairo kidnap a foreigner on the 25 January from Dokki, Giza or even Tahrir square on 25 January in very high security measures ??
Of course , the answer will be : The members of the gang used to impersonate allegedly police officers !!

Why did not the gang get rid of Regeni's passport and IDs as soon as they knew the whole world is speaking about him for more than a month!??

Why would that gang steal Regeni when he seemed to less rich compared to the other victims mentioned.

Despite , there has been no direct mention that the gang was involved in murdering Regeni I will ask that question in advance : Why would an alleged gang of robbers kidnap, torture for days and then kill Regeni !??

BY the way , many people in Egypt like me are asking the same questions.

Italian Press does not seem to be impressed with the new findings of the Egyptian police as well.
ANSA quoted sources in Italian investigators team that said that Regeni's case was far from closed. 
The Italian sources also reported inconsistencies in the case.
"First, kidnappers would be unlikely to hold on to compromising evidence such as a victim's passport for months after the victim's death. Second, kidnappers would be unlikely to torture a victim over the course of a week - as Regeni was - if their only purpose was to obtain a ransom.    Third, it is not credible that an entire gang of alleged kidnappers was killed by police, thereby preventing any possibility of getting corroborating statements from any of them.
I think we are on the same page !! I was asking the same questions above !!  

And Mahmoud Mohamed and Islam Talaat are back Home

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And aside from that strange story that nobody wants to believe about that criminal gang allegedly involved in Giulio Regeni's murder according to the Egyptian ministry of interior , another important and cheerful thing took place on Thursday that I should have highlighted and celebrated.
"Anti-torture" t-shirt detainee aka Mahmoud Mohamed is finally released and he is currently at his home.
Oh yes , thankfully the Criminal Court rejected the prosecution's appeal against the decision to release the 18-years-old teenager who spent more than 760 days in Pre-trial detention.
Mahmoud Mohamed was not released alone by the way.
Islam Talaat , a 23-years-old young man as released along Mahmoud Mohamed.
Just like Mohamed , Talaat was arrested on 25 January 2014 and he stayed in pre-trial detention for two years.
They were released at every late hour last Thursday.
Mahmoud "L" and Islam "R", between them their lawyer
Mokhtar Mounir "Adel Eissa" 
One must wonder how many detainees locked up without a trial for years now !!

You just have to see the photo of Mahmoud on 25 January 2014 and 25 March 2016 to see the difference made to this young teenager.
On January 25,2014
On March 25 , 2016
The photos of Mahmoud Mohamed and his brother Tarek "Tito" are more than cheerful.
The two brothers hug "Adel Eissa"
Tito fought without a rest for his young brother
"Adel Eissa" 
Here are Mahmoud and Tarek at their home at last.
The two brothers at their home at last
"Tito's Twitter account" 

After 9 months , we still ask Where Massouny is !!

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Saturday marked nine months since the disappearance of Mostafa Massouny in Downtown Cairo in late June.
It also marks his 28th years-old birthday.
Because of that occasion , a brave group of 6 girls led by activist Sanaa Seif organized a very small silent protest in front of the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis demanding to know the fate of Mostafa Massouny.
The girls in front of the Presidential Palace "by Momen Samir"
The girls wore T-Shirt with "Where is Massouny slogan".
The girls wearing  The Where is Mostafa Massouny's ? T-shirt
"Momen Samir" 

Early March , a girl called "Nouran Nabil" from Massouny's friends organized one-girl protest in front of the ministry of interior itself.
Nouran carrying alone the Where is Mostafa Massouny ? banner
"By Momen Samir" 
Bravely , Nouran stood alone in defiance.
There is nothing official or unofficial about the young video editor who went missing on 26 June.
The Egyptian Ministry of interior maintains its denials that it had nothing to do with his disappearance claiming that some of those reportedly disappeared in shady circumstances are either arrested or have joined Daesh.
But on the other hand , Massouny's family and friends believe that the Ministry of interior and its National security are behind his forcible disappearance. They still remember how they were told by a friend of a friend who works in the National security that Massouny was detained there and he would be released soon.
They also remember how the National security called Massouny's work to have a background check on him.
Soon became forever
I am extremely worried now after all that time.
I am praying that Massouny would be alive and safe for the sake of his family.

And Italians did not buy that !!

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Egypt's Ministry of interior 'MOI' spokesperson Abu Bakr Abdel Karim says officially that his ministry did not say that the gang the police killed all its suspect members on Thursday was not responsible for the killing
The police general went on a phone tour in Egypt's talk show hinting out that officially the MOI has not accused the gang of killing Regeni in the past 48 hours
Here is a statement of Police General Abdel Karim to Al-Hayat TV
Abdel Karim : We did not say that the gang was involved in Regeni's murder.
It is true , all the official statements issued by the MOI officially in the media and on its Official Facebook page in Arabic lacked any direct accusation to the gang alleged members of killing Regeni. The MOI accused the gang only of robbing Regeni and thanked the Italian investigators for their help only !!!
Still despite that the official ministry of interior's statements, the Egyptian Pro-regime was the one claiming since Thursday that the gang stands behind the killing of Giulio indirectly to implant this idea in the head of the public whether press or TV or radio.
The Pro-regime media does not act freely.
You got notorious Ahmed Moussa, the former Al-Ahram newspaper's correspondent to the ministry of interior showing the personal photos of the alleged members of the gang on his TV show.
I think he would not be able to show the photos except if his crew did not have direct access to the current investigations.
Pro-regime MP Mostafa Bakry claimed since day one that the police arrested those who killed Regeni who turned to be criminals unlike those "conspirators" claimed !!

Now Police General Abdel Karim's statements come only after huge official Italian rejection
On Friday , the Italian official reactions began to show that the people on the other side of the Mediterranean did not buy that the kidnappers gang.
Former Italian Prime minister Enrico Letta was the first prominent political figure in Italy to slam indirectly the Egyptian Police official statement about the gang and its relation to Regeni.

"I'm sorry, I don't buy it" Letta said.
He used two active hashtags in Italy in the past few days dedicated to Giulio Regeni "#iononcicredo" {I do not believe you} and "#veritapergiulioregeni" {Truth for Giulio Regeni}.
It is not only Letta, the Egyptian government losing friends in Italian Parliament.
"There's no explanation for why ordinary criminals, whose alleged objective was a robbery or ransom, would have inflicted such cruelty that is used only by torture professionals," said Pia Locatelli, head of the lower chamber's human rights committee told AP in Rome
Italian investigators in Cairo told Italian News Agency ANSA on Friday that the case was far from closed.
Regeni's family demands the truth "ANSA"
Regeni's Family also issued a very strong statement demanding the Italian government to act against what they called "an outrageous set-up" {which further cost the lives of five people}
Yes , the Regenis spoke about those five suspects who were killed on Thursday.
As the police is speaking day and night about those suspects as criminals showing the statements of their victims, it turned out that the fifth John Doe body found in the suspects' alleged micro-bus is the body of Ibrahim Farouk.
Farouk's uncle spoke on TV and said that his nephew was actually arrested from his house by security forces before he would be killed like that.
He also added that Ibrahim Farouk had no criminal activity what so ever.
He also said that autopsy report revealed that the suspects were shot from short range and not in an exchange of fire like the MOI claimed in its report.
Back to Italy , as the anger increased it seems that the Pressure on Cairo increased and thus we find Police General Abu Bakr Abdel Karim swearing in the media that the MOI did not say that the gang Regeni.
On Sunday , Italian interior minister Angelino Alfano saying that the Egyptian detectives probing the murder of Regeni would extend their investigation after pressure from Rome. Yes , he said "Pressure from Rome"
So the Italians did not buy that gang theory , well the Egyptians did not buy too since day one !!
By the way , according to Egyptian Chronicles' knowledge , the Prosecution General sent an order to Egyptian banks on Monday to check if Regeni had any bank accounts there.
According to the ministry of interior's story , the gang took Regeni to a bank in Maadi to withdraw USD 10,000 from his account so they could leave him !! 

#EgyptAir Flight Hijacked , landed in Larnaca ... on one fine Tuesday

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This is not the sort of news , you want to wake up in the morning to hear or to follow.
A Domestic EgyptAir Flight was hijacked from Alexandria and forced to land in Larnaca , Cyprus but the hijacker was  arrested in very strange six hours.
Thankfully , no one was hurt in that strange incident.
The reason is not what you think , it is not about ideology as much it is about love !! It took only 6 hours to be the talk of the world with that standoff
It started with estranged wife then we were speaking about prisoners in Egypt then he was arrested only to find out that he was not warning an explosive belt !!
How it all start on One Fine Tuesday or what was really confirmed :
The official Twitter account of Egypt's National Carrier of Egypt announced that its flight "MS181" was officially hijacked at 8 AM Cairo Local Time .
According to the Statement of EgyptAir, domestic flight "MS181" was hijacked while it was on its way from Borg Al-Arab airport to Cairo International airport. The 320 Airbus airplane had 81 passengers in addition to its crew.
The EgyptAir statement added the pilot Omar Gamal reported a threat from a passenger with an explosive belt who forced him to land in Larnaca.
A photo for the EgyptAir airliner in Larnaca airport
"Reuters" 
The flight landed in Larnaca International airport.
At first the media in Cyprus , that the hijacker did not have demands at first. We know nothing about him yet.
Then , we knew that there had been negotiations with the hijacker who turned to be one man only.
He allowed the release of all the passengers "Egyptians" except the crew and four foreigners according to EgyptAir

There is a lockdown in Larnaca international airport according to eyewitnesses.
Cyprus' Crisis Management center issued that statement announcing that they were coordinating with their Egyptian authorities.

Press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the hijacked EgyptAir planeRegarding the situation that is...
Posted by Κέντρο Διαχείρισης Κρίσεων ΥΠΕΞ Cyprus Crisis Management Centre-ΜFA on Tuesday, March 29, 2016

I think the first thing they told our authorities about was "Please, do not send your special forces" !!
You can find why below.
Some lady entering the airplane "Reuters" 
The Hijacker and his demands 
A photo for the hijacker inside the airplane taken by one of the passengers 
Yes, one of the passengers snapped a quick photo for the hijacker.
Cyprus' State TV said at first that the hijacker only wanted to deliver a message to his Cypriote estranged wife !!!!He also asked for an asylum.
Here is a photo showing the hijacker giving allegedly a four-pages letter to a flight attendant to deliver it to his wife.
The letter allegedly was given by hijacker
to the flight attendant
His ex-wife arrived  Larnaca airport according to the Cypriot media.
The Cypriot president already is saying in sexist remarks that there was always a woman involved in the matter !!
Egypt's minister of aviation , Sherif Fathy held a press conference Tuesday afternoon where he did not reveal the identity of the hijacker or the remaining passengers still on the plane.
He said that there were seven people in addition to the hijacker including three foreigners without specifying their nationalities on the board of the Plane.
Fathy has been in the office for a week or less.
The Dutch ambassador in Egypt confirmed that one of the passengers was a Dutch citizen was on the board of the plane but he was released and thankfully he is at the embassy safe.
At 12 PM , we got Cyprus State Media saying that the Hijacker got a new demand : He wants the release of female/political prisoners in Egypt.
At 12: 47 PM CLT , both Egyptian Presidency and Cyprus' foreign ministry announced that the hijacker name is Seif El-Din Mostafa.
He seems to be older than 27 year 
After 1 PM , 4 hostages left the airplane including a person who leaped from the airplane.
That moment as captured by AP photographer
Several minutes, news came that the Cypriote special forces were ready to take an action .
Then that tweet came from Larnaca
The hijacker was arrested and that strange incident was over. Here is the video showing how he came down from the Plane.
According to the Cypriote officials , the explosive belt that hijacker used in his stunt was fake.
More info is coming this time from Cairo about an extreme troubled hijacker.
The Egyptian authorities do not hide the fact that they are glad that it was not a politically motivated hijack thankfully.
Egypt's Ministry of interior released the photos and video showing how Mostafa passed through the security check of Borg Al-Arab airport.
صور لمختطف الطائرة المصرية سيف الدين مصطفى محمد إمام وهو يجتاز الإجراءات الأمنية التفتيشية قبل إقلاع الطائرة من مطار برج العرب
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية لوزارة الداخلية‎ on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Here is the video showing him being inspected at the airport located in Alexandria as released by Egypt's Ministry of interior.

كافة مراحل تفتيش المتهم سيف الدين مصطفى محمد إمام فى البوابات الأمنية بمطار برج العرب بأكثر من كاميرا وزاوية مختلفة
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية لوزارة الداخلية‎ on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
 Allegedly, he told the security officials in Borg Al-Arab airport that the belt he got with him was for medical uses.
Seif El-Din Mostafa's sister spoke about his brother on Sky News Arabic saying that his estranged Cyropite wife took their 3 children and moved to Cyprus.
She added that he was legally banned from entering Cyprus for a year. He has been unemployed for a year and he called her earlier Tuesday telling that he would see his children asking her to pray for him !!
The Egyptian ministry of interior issued a statement in English stating that Mostafa had actually a criminal record with several crimes of impersonation and burglary as well drug dealing

Press release An EgyptAir flight 181 that departed Tuesday morning from Borg El-Arab airport in Alexandria to Cairo...
Posted by ‎الصفحة الرسمية لوزارة الداخلية‎ on Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Heroes 
The heroes of the day are for the professional crew of EgyptAir especially pilot Amr Gamal, the captain of the flight. Gamal is the hero of the day in Egypt.
The flight attendants are also heroes especially that lady who was helping the people to leave and to return back to the plane.

They refused to leave except all the passengers would leave.
EgyptAir was completely professional and precise in its statements more than the Egyptian government.
The new minister of aviation Sherif Fathy won the admiration of many on Tuesday on how he handled the situation and the press in the Press conference.

Of course, I can not neglect the hero of the Hijacking Selfie , 27-years British young Ben Innes who appeared on all major newspapers in his country :)

You know that the whole affair is just surreal.
Already , the whole incident since early morning has become Egypt's number memes and sarcasm sources.
Thankfully , it did not end in tragedy.
Egyptian officials and Media fail as usual 

MP Mostafa Bakry claimed at first that the hijacker was a foreigner who seeks an asylum. Egyptian media also reports the hijacker wanted to land in Turkey but because this is a domestic flight with less fuel , it landed in Cyprus.

Then the Egyptian State TV claimed that a man called Ibrahim Samaha , professor in the University of Alexandria was the hijacker according to Borg Al-Arab airport.
Dr. Samaha spoke on BBC denying the news as it turned out that he was from the freed hostages.
His wife is speaking to all Egyptian TV channels hysterically denying that he is the hijacker.
Thanks to Borg Al-Arab airport , Ibrahim Samaha's name is locally and internationally trending.
Nevertheless, it is confirmed that we got one hijacker of Egyptian origin who wants to speak to his estranged wife.

Bad memories 
This is another blow to Egypt and tourism sector. This blows all the effort the Egyptian aviation authorities are doing to prove to the world that the Egyptian airports are safe.
Now , we got an incident where a hijacker threats to blow up an airplane with an explosive belt !!! Explosive belt and now everyone is asking how the hell he got on the plane with an explosive belt from Borg Al-Arab airport !!!
Of course, it is proved to fake belt , the question was ringing like an alarming bell for hours.
Already the Egyptian Prosecution has started investigations summoning the Borg Al-Arab airport officials.
Larnaca International airport is associated with very bad memories related to hijacking EgyptAir Flights for Egyptians.

It is associated with an infamous hijacking incident of February 1978 and the unauthorized Egyptian Special forces raid on the Larnaca International airport in order to release the hostages. It turned to be a fiasco and caused a huge embarrassment to Egypt.

From Egypt's Spring Flowers Show 2016

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And Spring is back again to Giza's Orman Botanical garden as Egypt's Annual Spring Flowers show 2016 kicks off.
Coming to soon to the Egyptian Chronicles 😉
Posted on March 29, 2016 at 03:21PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1MPEAfi

A piece of art at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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A beautiful piece of art at the Egyptian Museum from the Old Kingdom era. I think it is part of a tomb and those were actually the doors to a tomb. This is for Museum week 2016. Wait for a bigger amazing post about the Egyptian Museum in Egyptian Chronicles so soon inshallah.
Originally, taken in December 2015 , uploaded to Instagram on March 30, 2016 at 01:39AM via Instagram http://ift.tt/21ShYBE

Mariette Pasha's tomb at the Egyptian museum in Cairo [Flickr]

Mariette Pasha's tomb at the Egyptian museum in Cairo [Flickr]

Earlier Wednesday I found that #pigeon standing like that outside the window #Cairo #Egypt [Flickr]

And #spring is here in #Giza , the annual #spring #flowers show in Orman garden #ThisisEgypt #ThisisGiza #blogger #citizenjounalism [Flickr]


Parts of An #ancient #Egyptian tomb at the #EgyptianMuseum in #Cairo from the old kingdom. #Egypt #ThisisEgypt #citizenjounalism #blogger #History #africa #mideast #Museum #Museumweek [Flickr]

Days at the Egyptian Museum : The Tahrir Museum

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In December , the Egyptian Museum in Cairo administration announced that it was allowing for the first time photography for free in the Museum.
It was a great opportunity for all photographers in Egypt to go and explore the world's biggest museum for Egyptian antiquities.
I went several times to the Egyptian Museum including one time with a group of friends from talented photographers and we took fantastic photos.
The last time I had visited the Egyptian Museum was from long time ago when I was a little girl already .
Egypt's Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir square 
I only remember King Tutankhamun's mask from that visit and how I was too short to see anything for real.
Luckily, I visited the Museum after the return of King Tut's mask from restoration following the epoxy scandal of last year.
Before share photos and speak more about Ancient Egyptian History in series of posts, I have to speak about the history of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.  

A little Egyptian Museum History :

The First Museum dedicated to Egyptian antiquities in Egypt was founded in 1835 during the rule of Mohamed Ali Pasha and it was near the Ezbekeyah gardens "Downtown Cairo" in Cairo. Later that museum was moved to the Citadel.
In 1855 , Khedive Saeed decided to give the whole collection of that Museum to the Austrian Emperor of Mexico "yes, you read it right" Maximilian I. That can give you a glimpse how Saeed Pasha looked to Egyptian heritage.
Already, Saeed sent Egyptian troops to fight with the French against the Mexican revolution during then.
Now that collection of that first museum is at Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.

In 1858 , during the rule of Khedive Ismail , the founder of Modern Cairo and under the supervision of French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette , the true first Egyptian Museum dedicated to ancient Egyptian antiquities was inaugurated on the banks of the Nile in Boulaq area, Cairo.
Now here are very rare photos for the Boulaq Museum.
The Boulaqu Museum "Facebook" 


The Boulaq Museum
The Boulaq Museum
"King Farouk Facebook page" 

Unfortunately, it was not the perfect spot to build a museum or any building actually as in 1878 , the museum  was drowned in one of those strong destructive Nile River floods that used to erase villages. Some antiquities drowned and some not.

The remaining antiquities were then moved to One of Khedive's Palaces in Giza aka Giza Palace in 1891 under the supervision of French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero temporarily .

The Giza palace was said to be the palace of Khedive Ismail's wives 
Inside the Giza palace Museum "@Just in Case"
The Giza Museum from inside
"Culturas Antiguas"
Its location is said to be near the Giza zoo.
The Giza palace Museum in 1899
"King Farouk Facebook page"
In 1897, the construction works started in the New Egyptian antiquities Museum in Tahrir square or rather Ismailia square. It was designed by French architect Marcel Dourgnon.

Dourgon used the Neoclassical style in that huge Museum.
 Here is a very rare blueprint for the Museum.
Egyptian Museum in Tahrir square blueprint "Egyptophile blog"
You can find more about Dourgnon and his Egyptian Museum's design in "égyptophile" Blog
I think the Egyptian Museum was the biggest museum in the Middle East and Africa in early 20th century.
In 1902 , the Current Egyptian Museum was inaugurated by Khedive Abbas Helmi II.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Facade
The name of Khedive Abbas Helmi II inscribed above the entrance of Egyptian Museum 

Egyptian Museum inauguration coin
The inauguration coins of the Museum 
I love the little details in the Museum's façade especially those two Egyptian princesses or goddess that look like its guardians.
The Guardian of the Egyptian Museum
I call them the Guardian of the Museum 

The Guardian of the Egyptian Museum
Another guardian 


DSC09917
The Egyptian Royal Crown has not been changed thankfully
That's the history of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
The Egyptian Museum in Ismailia square in 1910s
"@Just in Case"
The Egyptian Musuem in 1960s and I like its paint during then 

The Egyptian Museum now

Dr. Khaled El-Anany , the current minister of antiquities was Egyptian Museum General supervisor when I visited it.He was appointed as the General Museum of the Egyptian Museum early 2015.
Currently , the Egyptian Museum in Cairo resembles Egypt and its status in everything.

Of course, I will be attacked over this and I will be called a traitor for highlighting what I had seen.
You got the greatest treasures in that place but the whole place seemed to be neglected for a long time.
The Fayoum Portraits section
Yes , there is a section for the famous Fayoum portraits at the Egyptian Museum 

The Papyrus and Hieroglyphs section
The papyrus hall , I wish they add labels for all those documents 
Old displays have not been upgraded or changed or even cleaned for a long time in some sections.
Bad lighting , dusty display and reflecting glass make photography, true photography hard in that place. Nevertheless , I feel that I gain more knowledge in photography while taking photos in that place.
It killed me that such beautiful place that can beat the British Museum and MET can end up like that !!
DSC01024
No comment except that I prayed that it is fixed now.
Yes , King Tutankhamen treasures are still the talk of the world but there are other treasures that are not less important or beautiful or even more significant for some like for instance the Predynastic artifacts.
You may feel that it is overcrowded but the I feel it has to do with the display arrangements.
I found hand-written signs that I can guess it go back to 1902 and some items without labels.
There is no help for special need visitors.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo
The main hall of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

DSC00812
The amazing royal couple inside the Egyptian Museum's main hall
DSC00725 (2)
Part of King Tutankhamun's section on the second floor 


I am still wondering how that Museum which used to have millions of pounds as revenues during the good old days of tourism was neglected like that.
I do not understand why the Egyptian ministry of antiquities do not ask Egyptian and international companies to sponsor the Museum.
Why not ask companies like Samsung or Philips or Sony to give visual and audio equipment for better interactive display.
Jotan can provide new paint for the whole Museum in return a worldwide publicity.
I stumbled online while browsing the Official Facebook page of the Egyptian Museum by accident that there is project to Revive the Egyptian Museum since 2012 and it seems that it stumbled or rather moving slowly due to Egyptian political changes.
Currently , the Tutankhamun' sector in  the second floor is being renovated gradually by a German grant.
The renovation will restore the original colors and design of the Museum when it was inaugurated in 1902.
The renovated parts look amazing
The new renovated King Tut's section in the Museum
After the new paint 

Renovated Tutankhamen's section in Egyptian Museum
It looked even great in reality 

King Tutankhamen's chair
The Tutankhamun chair in the new renovated part of the section
Notice the reflecting glass 

Renovated King Tutankhamen's section at the Egyptian Museum
 Part of King Tutankhamun's section after renovations  

New Egyptian Grand Museum and a new challenge to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir square  

For decades , the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir square was the number one Museum in the country.
But in 2002 that was changed as ousted President Mubarak decided to build the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza Plateau to be the biggest archeologic museum in the world. Yes, it is one of his mega-national projects.
The new museum is sited on 120 acres of land approximately two kilometers away from the Giza pyramids. The construction of that new grand Museum started in March 2012 and it is supposedly to be inaugurated in May 2018.
The Modern Grand Museum costs about $795 million , mostly from Japanese  Grants currently.
Some collections have been transferred already to the new Grand Museum.
To be honest , I am worried and terrified when it comes to the future of that Museum knowing about how the Egyptian governments think especially when the Grand Egyptian Museum is inaugurated.

I won't be surprised to find voices calling for demolishing that museum and selling its land.
Egypt already owns antiquities enough for dozens for Grand Museums across the country from Rashid to Shalateen.

Ancient Egyptian Coffins
Empty ancient Egyptian coffins in the second floor 

Photographing Akhenaten's Coffin
At Akhenaten section at the Museum 

The Archaic Period section
The amazing pre-dynastic section in the Museum in the second floor 

The end of the Old Kingdom section
Ground floor 

The Tahrir Egyptian Museum is in perfect position for both tourists and locals in the heart of Cairo. It only needs care.
I know that the Grand Egyptian Museum is going to dethrone the Tahrir Egyptian Museum as the biggest and most modernized Museum for Egyptian antiquities in Egypt and the Middle East but still the Tahrir Museum will remain the original museum for me.
The Sarcophagi section from above
An overview for the Sarcophagi section in the Museum 
At the Old Kingdom Section
The old Kingdom section 
Queen Hatshesput at the Modern Kingdom Hall
Near the exit , the Modern Kingdom section 
The Sphinx inside the Museum
The ground floor near the exist 
DSC00810

Personally , I needed that visit or rather those visits to the Museum to remind me how my country is one of the cradles of civilization and how Egyptians endured a lot and yet they survived.

The Museum itself is a witness to all the changes of time in Downtown Cairo and its 20th century.

Good sign of times is that it regained its old view to the Nile after the demolishing of the NDP ugly building in Cairo.
The Ruins of the NDP
After demolishing the NDP building , its land is said to be relocated to the Egyptian
Museum

Quick tips for visits to the Egyptian Museum :

  • If you are Egyptian, you can still go with your camera to the Museum for LE 50.
  • You can also use your mobile phone camera for free in the museum.
  • It is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Cairo local time.
  • Cameras are not allowed in the Royal Mummies chambers.
  • Wear comfortable shoes.
  • There are fantastic treasures in other sections aside from King Tut's collection.
  • Here is the Egyptian Museum's official Facebook page and Twitter account.
Wait inshallah for more posts like about the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and its amazing collections.  

The Hijacking of Egypt Air MS181 and the Conspiracy theory machine "Updated"

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It did not take too much time to find out that there were conspiracy theories about the hijacking of EgyptAir MS181 already.
Yes , some people believe that there is something fishy in the whole hijacking affairs due to its strange circumstances and its timing.
The fact that this strange hijacking which includes very cheerful photos with hijacker came in less than 24 hours of dismissing Egypt's top auditor Hisham Geneina made many people suspect thus conspiracy theory exists.
Do not forget , people usually tend to distrust the governments.
 Hisham Geneina , the head of Egypt's Central Auditing Agency was dismissed by Abdel Fattah El-Sisi late Monday in a Presidential decree.
Geneina previously stated in 2015 that corruption in judiciary and intelligence agencies cost Egypt nearly some $76 billion between 2012 and 2015
The High State security Prosecution investigated the matter and issued a statement Monday afternoon claiming that exaggerated the sums of lost due to corruption.
Monday evening, Sisi issued his decree to dismiss Hisham Geneina.
There has been a discussion about the constitutionality and legality of such presidential decree
This is the nutshell of the Geneina affair which needs definitely a close up into the matter.
Next morning , the hijacking incident captured all the attention of the country and nobody remembered Geneina and how his dismissal could be unconstitutionality until late night.
Here is a cartoon expressing the same view.
Cartoon
Instead of look to the birdie look to the airplane
instead of speaking about Geneina 




As the photos and videos began to emerge from EgyptAir MS 181 showing surreal scenes unexpected in similar circumstances, some people began to embrace the conspiracy theory and accept it.
I found that through Facebook posts in the past 24 hours.
For instance, that video filmed by Dutch passenger Huub Helthuis showing how the flight attendants called Ben Innes to take his controversial photo "Which is not a selfie" fueled conspiracy theories not only in Egypt but in other Arab countries.

Taking Ben Innes' photo with hijacker

I think that video and actually Innes' photo were taken after EgyptAir flight attendant Neira Atef took a photo with hijacker Seif El-Din Mostafa in order to send it to the authorities.
Yes , the Egyptian authorities asked the crew to send a photo for the hijacker in order to have a closer look to his alleged explosive belt.
Flight attendant Neira Atef and EgyptAir Hijacker Seif El-Din
Neira Atef and her photo with Seif El-Din
Atef took the photo and I think Ennes asked to take his shot afterward.
Innes and his famous Photo with Seif El-Din
I also read that the flight attendants were trying not to lose their cool in front of the passengers.
Alhamdu Lellah who saved and protected us through this ordeal. Thank you all for your calls and messages.I arrived...
Posted by AbdAllah El Ashmawy on Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Commenters on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are amazed how the flight attendants were laughing and drinking tea with Seif El-Din Mostafa
According to what I understood from the testimonies of the crew and passengers , the crew especially the women flight attendants were treating Seif El-Din nicely so he would not push the button as they believed it was a true explosive belt. Already, the one who was negotiating with Mostafa.
Also. I read they kept giving him drinks so he would go to the bathroom so they would lock him in the bathroom. You must admire the crew of EgyptAir MS181 !!
Updated : It turned out that there was a conspiracy theory that Seif El-Din Mostafa was actually army major general thanks to a photo of a major general who looks like with El-Sisi.
Egypt's famous rumors debunkers DaBaged debunked that pathetic theory. 
Dabaged debunks Hijacker conspiracy theory
Dabaged debunks that conspiracy theory 
DaBaged has also debunked another conspiracy theory that the hijacker was actually a man who always appears on Egyptian State TV as random guy who comments on news !! 
Personally, I believe that Seif El-Din Mostafa looks like late Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat.
Of course, you got the other side of the conspiracy theory.
You will find people like MP Mostafa Bakry who did not stop sharing his theories online despite he proved to be wrong.
First, he claimed that the hijacking was meant to make Egypt stop the foreign funding NGOs case.

Then, he claimed that the hijacking was a fake one made up in order to embarrass Egypt and prove the Egyptian airports are not safe; thus it is a conspiracy against tourism and Egypt.
I have to say that he is a master when it comes to wild conspiracy theories.
Personally , I believe that it was just coincidence and actually it did not divert attention.
Now people are back to ask questions about economy and Geneina as well other stressing issues in the country.
Yes , it overshadowed the case of Hisham Geneina and his dismissal but it did not kill the matter.
Regarding the latest developments of EgyptAir MS181's hijacker , it turned out that he was not that great loving family man who would hijack a plane to see his kids. It is unclear if he is going to be extradited to Egypt or not despite officially Egypt says that it presented a request.
The motives are still an enigma because the EgyptAir MS181 crew said he had political demands including the release of the prisoners without specifying who those prisoners.
The Cypriot authorities say on the other hand that he wanted to see his estranged family.
Anyhow , I am glad that we are laughing about the whole locally and international and that it became a meme.
It is better than mourning about victims for sure.
Anyhow, we are back discussing Hisham Geneina and whether he is under unofficial House arrest or not.

From Khaled Said's Mother to Giulio Regeni's Mother : I feel your pain

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Mrs. Laila Marzouk , the mother of Khaled Said , the young Egyptian man whose tragic murder on the hands of two policemen in Alexandria was among the sparks of the January revolution got something to say on video to Paola Regeni , the mother of the 28-years-old Italian political science researcher tortured and killed in Egypt.
From Khaled Said's Mother to Giulio Regeni' mother
Marzouk's message comes after the heartbreaking statement Paola Regeni said at the Italian Senate during the press conference about her son there on Tuesday.

كلمة والدة جوليو ريجيني في البرلمان الإيطالي 29-03-2016 مترجمة للعربيةلا استطيع أن اصف لكم ماذا فعلوا بوجة ابني لقد تجمع شر العالم كله فيما فعلوه بهذا الوجة المشرقفى اعتقادى أن ما تعرض له جوليو قد تعرض له الكثيرون من قبله في مصر .. ربما يكون جوليو حادثة فردية بالنسبة لتاريخنا كإيطاليين .. ولكن بالنسبة لمصريين آخرين .. جوليو ليس حادثة فردية كما تدعي الحكومة المصرية
Posted by Mohammed Sadek on Friday, April 1, 2016
During her word , Paola Regeni revealed that she identified her son at the Morgue in Rome from his nose tip only. "On Giulio's face I saw all the ills of the world." Mama Regeni describing how her beautiful young son's face was unrecognizable.
The Italian teacher added that they "Italians" had not seen such kind of torture except during the fascist-Nazi era and yet that was during the war !!
The Regenis at the Italian senate
The Regenis demand the truth for Giulio "AFP"

Paola Regeni also slammed the Egyptian government's claim that the incident of Giulio as an "isolated" man saying that it could be the first incident for an Italian but it happened to Egyptians all the time.
The Regenis vowed to release a photo for Giulio in the morgue if there is no progress in the case.
That reminded me with what happened to Khaled Said and how his photos in the morgue played a huge role in his case.
From the description of Mrs. Regeni , I assume that they are much worse photos than Said's !!
Paola Regeni's statement comes after the announcement of Egypt's ministry of interior that it arrested a criminal gang that possibly related to Regeni's disappearance.
Needless to say , that the threat to release the photo of the slain 28-years-old student is nothing compared to the threats of the Italian MPs that reached to the level of withdrawing the Italian ambassador.
Already on Saturday , Italian Association for Responsible Tourism "AITR" suspended its activities and programs in Egypt till the truth of Regeni's murder is known. It is another blow to tourism in Egypt.
The primary unofficial suspect in Giulio Regeni's murder due to its infamous record in torture cases in the Italian media is the Egyptian security forces aka the Ministry of interior.
Next Tuesday , the Egyptian investigation team will head to Rome to meet their Italian counterpart in order to share Giulio Regeni's investigations dossier.
The dossier includes the telephone calls of Regeni which were recorded by security forces before his disappearance on 25 January.
Earlier Saturday , the Criminal court sentenced a low-ranking policeman to 25 years in jail for the murder of 24-years-truck driver Mohamed Ismail in popular Darb El-Ahamr area.
This is a first degree murder and I am sure there will be an appeal.
Interestingly , this is considered from the fastest trials when it comes to Police shooting incidents.
The public anger of the people in Darb El-Ahamr for sure is playing a role.
Back to Giulio Regeni whose case is more complicated than the cases of Khaled Said and Mohamed Ismail which seem to be straightforward policemen's violence against public.
Regeni's murder includes forcible disappearance and torture till death.
I believe that just like we had that before and after Khaled Said incident , we are having before and after Giulio Regeni's incident.
By the way Giulio was just celebrating his 28 years old birthday in Cairo on 18 January when he took that photo at a fish restaurant. "I think it is Kadoura" 
Giulio Regeni's last picture
The last photo for Giulio Regeni on 18 January 
It was the last photo he had sent to his family in Italy. 

Belated #Museumweek post : at #EgyptianMuseum in #Cairo #Egypt #ThisisEgypt #Citizenjournalism #blogger #mideast [Flickr]

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